US Nuclear Weapons Stored in Istanbul: Retired Turkish Ambassador

Taner Baytok, retired ambassador and former Defense Ministry consultant, claims that the US has tactical nuclear weapons in Istanbul, reports Hurriyet Daily News and Economic Review.

According to Baytok, the approximately 100 tactical nuclear weapons are not at the US İncirlik Base in Adana as believed, but in Istanbul, the most populated city of Turkey.

Baytok explained the difference between strategic and tactical weapons: Strategic ones are continent-to-continent class and they are mostly stored on American soil. The tactical ones were placed during the Cold War, which would be fired to the Iron Curtain countries first as they are attached to faster missiles with shorter ranges. Baytok said some of these weapons are in Istanbul and in some other cities near the Black Sea.

“Twelve million people are living on nuclear warheads in Istanbul... Those weapons must be taken out of Turkey. But on the other hand, it is necessary for Turkey to remain under the protection of US nuclear shield,” said Baytok.

Baytok, however, noted that the weapons are fired with a double-key system.

“One of the keys is in the US and the other in the host country, in this case Turkey. During war time these weapons are fired with this double-key system.”

Earlier, The Times had reported that US President Barack Obama, within the framework of a new defense strategy, is going to remove all US-owned nuclear weapons out of all NATO member states, including Turkey.

According to the UK-based daily, almost 50% of US nuclear arsenal in NATO member states (90 B61 nuclear bombs) can be found in Turkey.